Peace of Mind

https://www.khutbah.info/peace-of-mind/ Indeed life has its ups and downs and twists and turns. It contains joys and sorrows, laughs and cries, and hardships and ease. Whoever is pleased at a one point is displeased at another point. Such accumulations are enough for one to lose peace of mind, to the point that honey appears bitter and the sweet appears salty.  And there is no doubt that peace of mind is among the greatest blessings in this life. For whoever tastes it in their life, it is as if they own everything. And whoever does not have it, it as if they own nothing at all. And no one should misunderstand that peace of mind means not striving, or that it is lethargy and laziness. 

إِنَّ الْحَمْدَ لِلَّهِ ,نَحْمَدُهُ  ,وَنَسْتَعِينُهُ  وَنَسْتَغْفِرُهُ ,  وَنَعُوذُ بِاللهِ مِنْ شُرُورِ أَنْفُسِنَا وَمِنْ سَيِّئَاتِ أَعْمَالِنَا  ,مَنْ يَهْدِهِ اللهُ  فَلَا مُضِلَّ لَهُ ,  وَمَنْ يُضْلِلْ فَلَا هَادِيَ لَهُ ,  وَأَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ   وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ    

Verily, all praise is for Allah. We praise Him, we seek His assistance and we ask for His forgiveness. And we seek refuge in Him from the evils of our selves. Whoever Allah guides, none can misguide. Whoever He misguides, none can guide. And I bear witness that there is no deity other than Allah and I bear witness that Mohammad is His slave and messenger.

 يَا أَيُّهَا الّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِ وَلَا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلَّا وَأَنْتُمْ مُسْلِمُونَ – آل عمران:102 

Al Imran 102 : O you who believe! Fear Allah as He should be feared, and die not except in a state of Islam.

Oh people:

Indeed life has its ups and downs and twists and turns. It contains joys and sorrows, laughs and cries, and hardships and ease. Whoever is pleased at a one point is displeased at another point. Such accumulations are enough for one to lose peace of mind, to the point that honey appears bitter and the sweet appears salty. 

And there is no doubt that peace of mind is among the greatest blessings in this life. For whoever tastes it in their life, it is as if they own everything. And whoever does not have it, it as if they own nothing at all. And no one should misunderstand that peace of mind means not striving, or that it is lethargy and laziness. 

Rather, peace of mind is born out of the deeds of the heart and the deeds of the body. It is no wonder that it was said that deeds are one of necessities of peace of mind.  The desired aim for every rational person is peace of mind, which is one’s soundness and tranquility. Allah Almighty said: 

الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا وَصَدُّوا عَنْ سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ أَضَلَّ أَعْمَالَهُمْ * وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ وَآمَنُوا بِمَا نُزِّلَ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَهُوَ الْحَقُّ مِنْ رَبِّهِمْ كَفَّرَ عَنْهُمْ سَيِّئَاتِهِمْ وَأَصْلَحَ بَالَهُمْ-مُحَمَّدٍ  1-2

Mohammad (47) 1-2: (1) Those who disbelieve and avert [people] from the way of Allāh – He will waste their deeds. (2) And those who believe and do righteous deeds and believe in what has been sent down upon Moḥammad – and it is the truth from their Lord – He will remove from them their misdeeds and amend their condition.

Indeed peace of mind is tranquility of the heart that is not eclipsed by turmoil and calm of the soul that is not tainted by hardship and taking the required means to bring peace of mind and cutting off the reasons that drive away peace of mind. For distress, anxiety and tension, and negative thoughts that overpower positive thoughts are all factors that crowd out peace of mind. That is, if they do not push it away completely. And the heart is the basis for all of that. And just as eliminating environmental pollution is important to people, so is eliminating the pollution of the heart. For the former is for protecting the environment and the latter is for protecting the mind. For peace of mind is not tasted by someone who slanders others to get praised instead of them, or by someone who puts down others to get ahead, or by someone who puts out the light of others to shine, or by someone who silences others to be heard, or by someone who climbs on the shoulders of others so that they can cut the fruit only for themselves. And one will not taste peace of mind if they do not make peace with themselves and peace with people and clear out conflicts. And likewise peace of mind will not be tasted by those who do not take responsibility or pretend to be something that they are not.  

So a Muslim must re-evaluate themselves, and consider everything that concerns them and distance from everything that harms their souls and bodies. For there is no peace of mind for the envier. And there is no peace of mind for the slanderer. And there is no peace of mind for the heart filled with grudges. Indeed Allah grants peace of mind to those with a pure heart. Do you know what is a pure heart? It is pure and Allah conscious. A heart that does not contain sin, malice or envy just as was indicated by our Prophet ﷺ. 

One of the shortest ways to bring peace of mind is to realize that life, no matter how long it is, is short. And it is summed up in three brief verses. Allah Almighty said regarding mankind: 

خَلَقَهُ فَقَدَّرَهُ * ثُمَّ السَّبِيلَ يَسَّرَهُ * ثُمَّ أَمَاتَهُ فَأَقْبَرَهُ-عَبَسَ  19-21

Abassa (80) 19-21: (19) From a sperm-drop He created him and destined for him; (20) Then He eased the way for him; (21) Then He causes his death and provides a grave for him.

Life does not require a description more than this so that people know that all affairs are in the Hands of Allah. So whatever Allah wills, is, and whatever Allah does not will, is not. And whatever is for someone shall come to them, even if all the people object. And what is not for someone will not come to them, even if they own the treasures of Qaroon. And whatever has passed is gone and will not return to them. And the future is unseen and only known to Allah Almighty. And one only has the moment that they are in. That is why people of knowledge inferred that peace of mind is achieved through three matters; sound trust in Allah for what is not attained, contentment for what is attained, and patience over what has passed. 

This understanding and being conscious of it at all times will cover a person with peace of mind, a tranquil heart and a serene life. To secure and sustain peace of mind, one must adhere to four matters. First, realizing that there is no escaping death. Rather it will find someone even if they flee from it. Because death awaits from the front and not from the back. Allah Almighty said: 

قُلْ إِنَّ الْمَوْتَ الَّذِي تَفِرُّونَ مِنْهُ فَإِنَّهُ مُلَاقِيكُمْ-الْجُمُعَةِ  8

Jumu’ah (62) 8: Say, “Indeed, the death from which you flee – indeed, it will meet you. 

Second, that there is not rest in this worldly life and the days alternate between ups and downs and joy and grief. Third, one cannot always be secure from people’s harm.  No matter how far and isolated someone is from people, being safe from their harm is rare. Many people wrongly think that peace of mind can only be achieved by solitude and not socializing. For the Prophet ﷺ said:             

الْمُؤْمِنُ الَّذِي يُخَالِطُ النَّاسَ، وَيَصْبِرُ عَلَى أَذَاهُمْ، خَيْرٌ مِنَ الَّذِي لاَ يُخَالِطُ النَّاسَ، وَلاَ يَصْبِرُ عَلَى أَذَاهُمْ

The believer who mixes with people and endures their harm is better than the person who does not mix with people nor endure their harm. [Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 388, Grade: Sahih (Al-Albani)]

The fourth matter is that there is no peace of mind for the one not having contentment. For being content with Allah Almighty, His will and decree is a foundational pillar of peace of mind. Abdallah bin Masood, may Allah be pleased with him, said that Allah, with His fairness and justice, has placed spirit and joy in certainty and contentment, and He has placed anxiety and sorrow in doubt and discontent. And Makhool narrated that Ibn Umar, may be pleased with him, used to say: indeed a man seeks guidance in making a decision from Allah, so He chooses for him then the person is discontent with their Lord. Soon he looks at the outcome, and it is better for him. And Hassan Al Basri was asked, where did this (bad) behavior come from? He replied from a deficiency in being content with Allah. It was said to him, and from where does the deficiency in being content with Allah come from. He replied, from a lack of knowing Allah. 

And all of that is contained in what the Prophet  ﷺ said: 

ذَاقَ طَعْمَ الإِيمَانِ مَنْ رَضِيَ بِاللَّهِ رَبًّا وَبِالإِسْلاَمِ دِينًا وَبِمُحَمَّدٍ رَسُولاً – رواه مسلم

Whoever is pleased with Allah as (his) Lord, and Islam as (his) religion, and Muhammad as (his) Messenger, then he has tasted the sweetness of faith.[Muslim 34]

أَقُولُ مَا تَسْمَعُونَ وَأَسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ  لِي وَلَكُمْ مِنْ كُلِّ ذَنْبٍ فَاسْتَغْفِرُوهُ  إِنَّهُ هُوَ الغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ

I say what you have heard and I seek forgiveness from Allah for me and you from every sin. So seek forgives from Him, Verily He is Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.

Second Khutbah

الحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ,  وَالصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ  , وَ أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَاْ إِلَهَ إِلَّاْ اَللهُ وَحْدَهُ لَاْشَرِيْكَ لَهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدَاً عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُوْلُهُ

All praise is to Allah, and peace and blessings upon the Messenger of Allah, and I bear witness that there is no deity other than Allah and I bear witness that Mohammad is His slave and messenger.

Oh Muslims:

Know that peace of mind is in four. In the body after its exhaustion from preforming good deeds and it not being lazy and having a lack of deeds. And in the soul with a lack of sins and misdeeds. And in the heart with a lack of concern for the worries of the world. And in the tongue by protecting it from what drags it down and keeping away from the pitfalls of speech and obscenity. So strive to attain peace of mind through obeying Allah and remembrance of Him. Seek it through a sound heart and good character and through lifting harm from people, and stopping the tears of the bereaved and supporting the orphan. And seek it through truthfulness and honesty and humility and contentment. And seek peace of mind by overlooking faults for it is most of peace of mind, if not all of peace of mind. 

And the Book of Allah Almighty is like the soul for life, and light for guidance. Whoever does not read it and act upon it is not alive, rather they are dead even if they speak and act or come and go! And whoever does not believe in it has strayed and is not guided even if they fly through the heavens or dive in the water! Allah Almighty said:

أَوَ مَن كَانَ مَيْتاً فَأَحْيَيْنَاهُ وَجَعَلْنَا لَهُ نُوراً يَمْشِي بِهِ فِي النَّاسِ كَمَن مَّثَلُهُ فِي الظُّلُمَاتِ لَيْسَ بِخَارِجٍ مِّنْهَا-الأنعام 122

Al Anam (6) 122: And is one who was dead and We gave him life and made for him light by which to walk among the people like one who is in darkness, never to emerge therefrom? Thus it has been made pleasing to the disbelievers that which they were doing.

If a Muslim recites the Quran, then peace and tranquility descend upon their heart and limbs. Then the soul advances after that and does not care what happens to it when it reads the words of its Lord: 

قُل لَّن يُصِيبَنَا إِلاَّ مَا كَتَبَ اللّهُ لَنَا-التوبة 51

At Tawbah (9) 51: Say, “Never will we be struck except by what Allāh has decreed for us;  

And with that the whispers of evil and whispers of weakness evaporate and it becomes evident to them that people are tried more with delusions than reality, and people are defeated from within before the realities of life defeat them. 

We ask Allah Almighty to grant us all peace of mind. Indeed Allah is All Hearing, Answering. 

هَذَا وَصَلُّوا وَسَلِّمُوا عَلَى نَبِيِّكُم كَمَا أَمَرَكُمْ بِذلِكَ رَبُّكُمْ , فَقَالَ

I conclude with this and send prayers of blessings and peace upon your Prophet as your Lord commanded:

إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ ۚ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا صَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا

Al Ahzaab (33) 56: Indeed, Allah confers blessing upon the Prophet, and His angels [ask Him to do so]. O you who have believed, ask [ Allah to confer] blessing upon him and ask [ Allah to grant him] peace.

اللَّهُمَّ اهْدِنا فِيمَنْ هَدَيْتَ وَعَافِنا فِيمَنْ عَافَيْتَ وَتَوَلَّنا فِيمَنْ تَوَلَّيْتَ وَبَارِكْ لنا فِيمَا أَعْطَيْتَ وَقِنا شَرَّ مَا قَضَيْتَ إِنَّكَ تَقْضِي وَلاَ يُقْضَى عَلَيْكَ وَإِنَّهُ لاَ يَذِلُّ مَنْ وَالَيْتَ تَبَارَكْتَ رَبَّنَا وَتَعَالَيْتَ

O Allah, guide us with those whom You have guided, grant us well-being among those You have granted well-being, be an ally to us along with those whom You are an ally to, and bless what You have bestowed upon us, and save us from the evil of what You have decreed.  For verily You decree and none can decree over You. He whom You support can never be humiliated. Glory is to You, our Lord, You are Blessed and Exalted.

اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسْأَلُكَ مِنَ الْخَيْرِ كُلِّهِ عَاجِلِهِ وَآجِلِهِ مَا عَلِمْنا مِنْهُ وَمَا لَمْ نَعْلَمْ وَنَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الشَّرِّ كُلِّهِ عَاجِلِهِ وَآجِلِهِ مَا عَلِمْنا مِنْهُ وَمَا لَمْ نَعْلَمْ اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ خَيْرِ مَا سَأَلَكَ عَبْدُكَ وَنَبِيُّكَ وَنَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا عَاذَ بِهِ عَبْدُكَ وَنَبِيُّكَ اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسْأَلُكَ الْجَنَّةَ وَمَا قَرَّبَ إِلَيْهَا مِنْ قَوْلٍ أَوْ عَمَلٍ وَنَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ النَّارِ وَمَا قَرَّبَ إِلَيْهَا مِنْ قَوْلٍ أَوْ عَمَلٍ وَنَسْأَلُكَ أَنْ تَجْعَلَ كُلَّ قَضَاءٍ قَضَيْتَهُ لَنا خَيْرًا

O Allah, We ask You for all that is good, in this world and in the Hereafter, what we know and what we do not know. O Allah, we seek refuge with You from all evil, in this world and in the Hereafter, what we know and what we do not know. O Allah, we ask You for the good that Your servant and Prophet has asked You for, and we seek refuge with You from the evil from which Your servant and Prophet sought refuge. O Allah, we ask You for Paradise and for that which brings one closer to it, in word and deed, and we seek refuge in You from Hell and from that which brings one closer to it, in word and deed. And we ask You to make every decree that You decree concerning us good

 عِبَادَ اللّهِ  إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُ بِالْعَدْلِ وَالْإِحْسَانِ وَإِيتَاءِ ذِي الْقُرْبَىٰ وَيَنْهَىٰ عَنِ الْفَحْشَاءِ وَالْمُنكَرِ وَالْبَغْيِ  يَعِظُكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَكَّرُونَ

Servants of Allah. Indeed, Allah orders justice and good conduct and giving to relatives and forbids immorality and bad conduct and oppression. He admonishes you that perhaps you will be reminded. 

اُذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ الْعَظِيمَ يَذْكُرْكُمْ واشْكُرُوهُ يَزِدْكُمْ واسْتَغْفِرُوهُ يَغْفِرْ لكُمْ واتّقُوهُ يَجْعَلْ لَكُمْ مِنْ أَمْرِكُمْ مَخْرَجًا   وَأَقِمِ الصّلَاة

Remember Allah, the Great – He will remember you. Thank Him for His favors – He will increase you therein.  And seek forgiveness from Him – He will forgive you. And be conscious of Him – He will provide you a way out of difficult matters. And, establish the prayer.  

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